Giant Robot Store and GR2 News
Reception September 22, 2012 - Hours to be posted. The Japanese American National Museum presents Giant Robot Biennale 3, its third show in conjunction with Eric Nakamura, owner of Asian American pop culture juggernaut Giant Robot. The expansive show features a gallery of eight emerging artists along with a customized vinyl figure collection. Following two previous successful exhibitions at the National Museum, the Biennale continues to push the envelope with a creative, fresh, and uniquely interactive experience. This year’s exhibition highlights the works of Rob Sato, Deth P. Sun, Ako Castuera, Eishi Takaoka, Saelee Oh, Sean Chao, Albert Reyes, and Zach Gage, all with long ties to Giant Robot. Each artist brings their original style, from whimsical wall paintings and creatures in clay worlds, to a life-size “haunted” maze especially built for this Biennale. Using Uglydoll creator David Horvath figures, Nakamura curated Project Remix, a custom vinyl show with over 80 artists from seven countries—including the rare combination of both established customizers and fine artists. Special additions to the exhibition include an original piece from Japanese painter Masakatsu Sashie as well as arcade machines running Jeni Yang and Beau Blyth’s new indie video game, Catburger.
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – Art Show Opening: Yukinori Dehara: Worldwide Panty Flash June 30 – July 25th, 2012 Reception: Saturday, June 30th 2012 – 6:30-10pm GR2 2062 Sawtelle Blvd.Los Angeles, CA 90025 http://giantrobot.com (310) 445-9276 Giant Robot is proud to host Satoshi – The Last Salaryman – clay sculptures by Yukinori Dehara. The Salaryman in Japan, is an underpaid and understated workforce who work long hours and have forged a lifestyle that is strongly responsible for the economic miracle of post World War 2 Japan. Today they wander the streets after their long day, drinking and frolicking until they head home to their family, only to face the same thing the following day. Satoshi is this person but has a friend, a beast named Morlin. We’ll be sure to feature clay sculptures and more from Yukinori Dehara. We’ve featured Japanese artist, Yukinori Dehara annually and his exhibitions range from being touching to grotesque. Yet like most artists, he has a deep ideology behind his pieces although to the casual observer, they look like fun. Giant Robot was born as a Los Angeles-based magazine about Asian, Asian-American, and new hybrid culture in 1994, but has evolved into a full-service pop culture provider with a shop and gallery in Los Angeles, as well as an online equivalent. An opening reception for the artists will take place from 6:30 – 10:00 pm on Saturday, July 2, 2012. For more information about Yukinori Dehara or Giant Robot, please contact: Eric Nakamura Giant Robot Owner/Publisher eric@giantrobot.com (310) 479-7311
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – Art Exhibition at GR2 I Am Fine – Eishi Takaoka May 5 – May 30, 2012 Opening reception Saturday May 5th 2012, 6:30-10pm GR2 – 2062 Sawtelle Blvd LA, CA 90025 www.gr2.net 310 445 9276 Giant Robot 2 (GR2) presents: I Am Fine Solo exhibition by Eishi Takaoka Eishi Takaoka’s work is coming back. Although the sculptures of Eishi Takaoka all portray the same serene expression, their outwardly calm façade belies a world of bottled-up emotions. With nowhere to go, these intense feelings manifest themselves in outlandish formations that sprout out of the top of each figure’s head. The uniquely sculpted heads of Takaoka are rooted in a personal fantasy world that is fueled by the emotional ups and downs of daily life in lower-middle class Japan. He instills his frustration with life in Kagoshima and feelings of isolation into each of the pieces, which are comprised of carved wood painted with raw mineral pigments placed atop empty glass medicine bottles. Takaoka’s pieces have been seen in group shows in Tokyo and New York, one-person exhibitions at Giant Robot New York and GR2 in Los Angeles, and on the cover of novelist Haruki Murakami’s Kafka on the Shore. For this exhibition, Takaoka will create 34 sculptures at Giant Robot 2 in Los Angeles. He is currently attending school in his hometown of Kagoshima, Japan and will not be in Los Angeles for the opening. Giant Robot was born as a Los Angeles-based magazine about Asian, Asian-American, and new hybrid culture in 1994, but has evolved into a full-service pop culture provider with shops and galleries in Los Angeles as well as an online equivalent. Eric Nakamura Giant Robot Owner/Publisher eric@giantrobot.com (310) 479-7311
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This was the end of an era. Michelle Borok – who some of you know or don’t know has left the building. After 7 years or more, the employee who left an indelible mark on shops and art in LA and beyond is leaving for Northern Mongolia. On saturday, LA experienced warm weather. Even at night, a light jacket would suffice. Across the globe, it was -50.
Some of the photos from Year of the Dragon are happy and the room was filled with artists. Some young, some older and a few of them asked, “is that Michelle?” The answer, “Yes she is” – no matter where she’s at.
No crying here.